Tom Wittmann's SS Dagger prices

Article about: SS Ringman you hit nail on head. I too am an old collector back in 92/93 I sold everything in a fit of rage after my wife leave me. Why because I feel German militaria will not keep me in fo

Nein nein, wasn't me, nor would I even go there... it was a different person, a different time, and I think the forum has changed a bit too.

strictly speaking most of us would be better off leaving the money in the bank.

Maybe true, but how incredibly boring? Actually, your money in the bank may be devaluating as we speak?

Money is good, but in itself is nothing. If you were to ask Larry C if he'd rather have the pile of cash that his collection represents, would he take it? Right now, I wouldn't. Money in itself is just an intrinsic value, a gateway to happiness sometimes, but not happiness itself unless you were The Weaver of Raveloe, and life set him straight.

In its original form, you can't eat it, you can't drink it, you can make a little fire with it if it's paper money. It's only as good as what you can buy with it. Of course no having it ***** even worse

I believe that you only live once, so try to enjoy as much as you can. Why having all the money in a bank?, as Larboard said, money is worhless by itself, in fact look out the interest rates, nearly to zero%. My conclusión is then not to give my money to these Banks for free, so that they do some business with it. I rather buy nice things.
This hobby is great and does not hurt anyone, besides my girlfriend

Dang, all the sudden I remembered what I wanted to write at the bottom of my long post yesterday. I got interrupted somehow, and lost my train of thought...

The "other part of the equation" as I had written, is that in collector market's rises and falls, bubbles form, like in the housing market, these bubbles burst once in a while... and it's the speculators in a market - not the true collectors - who make prices plunge downward by panic selling. Last thing a true collector wants to do is sell his pieces off, especially for way less than he paid. Doesn't make any sense.

People who are in it more for the investment, "speculators" will panic sell at the first sign of trouble, turning a market that is "Bullish" into a "Bear" market.

The only thing I do think is going back to the original title of the $5000 dollar SS dagger do we really think this is an unreasonable amount?

For us, its around £3500 in English pounds, but when we look at it against other forms of artwork (any 3rd Reich dagger is artwork) where would £3500 go?
Only a couple of days ago John Constable's 'The Lock' painting sold for 9.1 million, beautiful painting admittedly, but they tell me that nobody will insure it unless its kept in a vault so again another thing which will be bought to be kept away from eyes.

Another way I work the value back on the items is by saying if its been in the vets hands lets say 70 years, if the items now worth £3500 putting the original value in at zero (which at the time it probably taken rather than bought) its only £50 a year to 'store' the item. That imo is Nothing.

I think the key is to have an 'affordable' collection which you can enjoy. Its to easy to grudge items because of the circumstances around having to pay for these things.

Mattty,nothing to do with the value of an item, just storage. Its also about the individual and what he wants to do with his collection. Insurance is cheaper if you have a Fire proff safe. I'm asked do you display your collection? I reply no I don't. It's locked up in a fire proof safe I reply. This is horrifying to some people. But If I want to get it out and look at it it's easy to do. Also peace of mind that it's safe, away from unwanted eyes and creatures. :-)
There are a few collectors on this site that I know about with Fire Proff safes.

GO LOOK AT TOM WITTMANNS SITE. HE HAS A MINT SS M33 DAGGER FOR $5000.00. I REMEMBER SEEING A MINT BOKER 3 YEARS AGO FOR $3400.00. I KNOW IT WOULD SELL EASY FOR 5 GRAND TODAY.

Going back to he original post... If many remember prior to Toms release of his SS reference..that SS daggers were modest in price. One the Reference was released prices sky rocketed. No one ever heard of so many producers , variations in details..swords..and one of a kind Items. Tom opened the pandora box into the edged hobby.
The history of the SS alone linked together what is available today..and Toms eye opening reference surely was a great contributor of the SS dagger market to sky rocket. Since 2008 when the economy crashed in the US..also sent a rippling effect around the world.
separate and apart from the falling prices of SA daggers..the SS dagger barely moved in depreciation..or in rare cases..$100 less.

Look at the current news on TV. Bad news sells !! or nobody will watch it and talk about it. The SS...they were very bad news more so than the SA. Collectors are drawn to the heinous of some of these things. SS uniforms creep me out.

by colt45

Only he can do it

Whatever is desirable always has a price tag..in the case of Tom Wittmann as Member Colt45 states.." Only He can do it" ...remember Tom wrote the book on the subject as Bill gates can do the same thing too as what he created in Windows. Just my thoughts. Regards Larry

It is not the size of a Collection in History that matters......Its the size of your Passion for it!! - Larry C

One never knows what tree roots push to the surface of what laid buried before the tree was planted - Larry C

“The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” - Winston Churchill

Yes, it's true, experts and people who write books can definitely affect the desirability, and ultimately the value of said items.

Case in point, the "Black Widow" Luger.

The Germans never called it this, maybe not even the GI's. The term has been attributed to early (1950's or 60's) American collectors, maybe Ralph Shattuck in particular. While I don't think Shattuck wrote any books about the Luger, he, and others like him created the mystique of the Black Widow Luger, which some collectors still refuse to even use the term, simply calling it a P.08 with black grips, or Bakelite grips.

Over time, this has become one of the priciest and most sought after of WWII P.08's. A couple years ago a well known seller got $10k for one in near mint condition.*

And the sad thing is they really look (and feel) much better with wooden grips, but it is one of the Holy Grails, "the one" to have.

Other than a Krieghoff... but I've already digressed enough

* For that kind of money, you'd have to be a madman not to buy a WWI Artillerie with shoulder stock!

I don't know where or how you've converted 5000$ to €'s... but 5K$ is more like 4550€ instead of 3185€.....
And that is allready a high price for a standard M33 SS dagger IMO. And know that most dealerprices are exaggerated.
I still can't understand why some people stay buying such expensive items with them... Everyone should have more patience and buy privately.